What began as a small weekly gathering of just a few students, has transformed into a fast-growing faith-based group on Campbellsville University’s campus. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), once a small group with only a handful of consistent attendees, has now grown into a vibrant community of student athletes coming together each week to share in faith, fellowship and purpose.
Over the past few years, FCA has seen a steady increase in participation, drawing students from nearly every athletic program on campus. Word has spread quickly as more students have discovered the sense of belonging and encouragement that FCA provides.
FCA is a nationwide organization that unites faith and sports by challenging athletes, coaches and all students to grow in their relationship with Christ. FCA provides a space where students can connect beyond the competition on the field or court. Through guest speakers, prayer and open discussions, members are encouraged to strengthen both their faith and their sense of fellowship. At Campbellsville University, FCA serves as a community where students from all sports can come together to support one another and grow spiritually.
CU Senior Gabriel Maurer, president of FCA, has witnessed the club’s transformation firsthand. He began attending FCA meetings in the fall of 2022, during his sophomore year at Campbellsville University, when the group was still small and informal.
“It was a very small club, and we had maybe consistently two to three members that came,” Maurer said. “Back then, we didn’t really mind. We were just there to hear the word.”
Maurer first heard about FCA through one of his football coaches, Coach Matt Atwood, who is the adviser of FCA. That simple invitation led him to find a place of fellowship and spiritual growth that would eventually shape his college experience.
Since taking on the role of president in the fall of 2024, Maurer has been intentional about building momentum within the organization. Weekly meetings are held every Wednesday at 7 p.m., and the leadership team meets monthly with Trent Creason, Campbellsville’s campus minister, to receive guidance and collaborate with other Christian organizations on campus. The results have been remarkable, said Maurer.
“We’ve gone from four people a night to now pulling an average of 20,” Maurer said. “But I’ve seen us get up to 50 people in the chapel.”
Maurer attributes much of FCA’s growth to genuine connections formed among students and the excitement that continues to spread across campus.
“The best contributor is word of mouth,” Maurer said. “An event that has allowed us to grow so much is Fields of Faith. It was a great opportunity to reach more of the student body, we had people from off campus, commuters and even athletes that usually wouldn’t come out.”
Events like Fields of Faith, combined with consistent student leadership and outreach, have played a major role in raising awareness of FCA’s mission. The organization’s visibility on social media and word spreading through athletic teams have also helped draw in new faces each week, showing how FCA’s influence continues to expand both on and off campus.
FCA’s emphasis on community and service is what sets it apart, according to Maurer. Maurer said one of his main goals for the club’s future is to put faith into action through service projects.
“Once a semester, I want to put together an event where we serve the community,” Maurer said. “We are disciples of Jesus, who was a servant, and we want to be servant leaders on our campus.”
Beyond organizational growth, FCA has had a profound personal impact on Maurer’s faith. He shared that leading the group has pushed him to grow in new ways spiritually.
“Having the opportunity to speak on my faith has challenged me,” Maurer said. “It’s different when you’re not just listening, but really thinking about what your faith means, if you’re living it out correctly, and how you can apply it to other people’s lives.”
He compared the experience to the old saying, “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.”
“That’s very true when it comes to sharing my faith,” Maurer said.
For Maurer, that lesson reflects what FCA is all about, learning not only to strengthen our own faith, but to share it with others.
That same kind of spiritual growth can be seen in other Campbellsville students as well, including Zeke Carwile, a sophomore who has become a consistent voice within FCA. Carwile has spoken several times at FCA and at the recent Fields of Faith event, where his message resonated with students and athletes alike. His involvement reflects how FCA’s reach has expanded, impacting students who are eager to grow deeper in their faith and to lead others in theirs. His journey with FCA began long before his time at Campbellsville.
“FCA began all the way back home in Alabama,” Carwile said. “It was a great way for me to use my athletic abilities in order to spread God’s word. I even interned with FCA back home, and when I saw it was available at Campbellsville, I couldn’t pass that opportunity up.”
Since joining, Carwile has seen FCA at Campbellsville flourish in ways that have strengthened both his faith and his community.
“The speakers at FCA have been incredible this year,” Carwile said. “We’ve had so many different people from various backgrounds in sports be able to speak. The best part about it is that all of them are so engaging, and I’m able to learn something every single night.”
For Carwile, the reason behind that growth is clear.
“The intention of God’s word being spoken is definitely the most contributing factor for the growth of FCA,” Carwile said. “The more people are able to actually see God’s word in action, the more they want to show up to hear it on a Wednesday night.”
Called into ministry himself, Carwile believes FCA helps him live out that calling on campus.
“For me being called into ministry, I believe FCA is a huge opportunity to spread God’s word,” Carwile said. “Having that as a campus ministry here at Campbellsville really helps me find my purpose.”
Carwile hopes that same sense of purpose continues to draw more student-athletes to join the growing movement.
“Come to FCA in order for your light to shine before others so that they may see your actions and glorify the God that we serve,” Carwile said. “Why fit in when you were born to stick out? Join FCA to be a light in athletics and the community of Campbellsville University.”
FCA’s growth has also been evident from the perspective of its adviser, Coach Matt Atwood, who has helped guide the organization for more than a decade. A football coach at Campbellsville University and a mentor in faith, Atwood has played a key role in encouraging athletes to get involved and live out their beliefs beyond the field. Now in his 11th year as FCA’s adviser, he has witnessed firsthand how the group has developed from a small gathering into a thriving community of faith.
“It’s been really amazing to see God work,” Atwood said. “Lots of young people have really stepped up to be involved, and it’s grown from just a handful of people to 20-plus young men and women in FCA each week.”
Atwood credits much of that growth to students themselves.
“I think seeing their peers want to come and enjoy FCA and invite others is why,” Atwood said. “The biggest factor for us has been athletes feeling like it’s something they can use in their daily lives as Christian student-athletes.”
For Atwood, the most rewarding part of overseeing FCA is watching students’ faith deepen.
“Just seeing young people get close to Jesus Christ and come to know Him as their Savior—that’s what it’s all about,” Atwood said.
Beyond the meetings, he believes FCA helps students form meaningful connections across campus.
“When young people use something like FCA, it helps them develop within the campus community and build relationships with other athletes, not just their team. I don’t really worry too much about growing FCA to a certain number,” he said. “I just want to do the best I can for the young people who show up. Whether it’s five people or 50, I want them to hear the gospel each week and find ways to share it within their own locker rooms.”
As FCA continues to flourish at Campbellsville University, its impact reaches beyond weekly meetings or attendance numbers. The growth of the group reflects a deeper movement of faith taking root across campus, one that encourages students to lead, serve and live out their beliefs in everyday life. Through the leadership of students like Maurer, the passion of members like Carwile, and the guidance of mentors like Coach Atwood, FCA has become more than just a club, it’s a community of believers strengthening one another in faith.
